A rolling element bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring and several rolling elements or bodies installed between these two rings. In relation to the invention these rolling elements are rollers or needles. In the meaning of the invention, a rolling bearing and a rolling element bearing are for instance a roller bearing or a needle bearing, such as spherical roller bearings (SRB), tapered roller bearings (TRB), or CARB toroidal roller bearings.
In the field of rolling element bearings, it is known to attach one or more sensors to measure one or more physical parameters and transduce these physical parameters into electrical signals. One such example is the use of a load or strain sensor in order to determine a load that a bearing is subjected to in for example a loaded zone. This can be done to determine a load a machine is subjected to. For instance, truck lifts are equipped with forks to lift and move a load. The maximum load the forks are lifting/subjected to must be controlled for safety reasons. Determining a load that a bearing is subjected to can also be done for the purpose of determining a current and possibly a future condition of the bearing.
Determining the load a bearing with rollers is subjected to is challenging, especially in larger size bearings. Where should the load or strain sensor be placed? There is still room for improvements.